Kottabos was an Irish literary magazine, published from 1869 to 1893 at Trinity College, Dublin. Over the years many authors contributed to the journal, like Edward Dowden, Alfred Perceval Graves and Oscar Wilde, who had early work published in it, during his period at Trinity. The magazine contained translations, parodies, lyrics, and light verse, mostly written in English, but also in Greek and Latin. Most contributions were of a "playful character."
The magazine was published in Dublin by W. McGeeSee: WorldCat entry for Kottabos. and appeared three times a year.
The name "Kottabos" was taken from the Greek drinking game .
Robert Yelverton Tyrrell was the first editor-in-chief.
Adolphus Ward and Alfred Rayney Waller, in their The Cambridge History of English and American Literature, say that Kottabos is "perhaps the cream of Irish academic wit and scholarship."
Editors and issues Tyrrell explained in 1906 that he started "a College miscellany of Greek and Latin verse (mainly translations), and of English pieces, verse and prose (mainly original)" shortly after his election as a fellow of Trinity College in 1868. He soon obtained the help of John Martley.
The journal was issued three times a year, corresponding to the three College terms. The first two issues were published in 1869. According to Tyrrell a first volume was issued in 1874, at the end of four years, embracing twelve numbers. Then in 1877 and 1881 two further volumes appeared, with an equal number of parts. This made a total of 36 numbers.
In 1888 the magazine was revived under the editorship of J. B. Bury. He edited a volume that was completed in 1891. The last volume, edited by George Wilkins, appeared in 1895. The total numbers issued thus became fifty.
Contributors Contributors to Kottabos were among many others: William Macneile Dixon (1866–1946), author and academic. He contributed for instance: 1891, a poem, titled "An Allegory"Dixon (1891): "An Allegory", p.278–279 1891, a poem, titled "Lilies"Dixon (1891): "Lilies", p. 307
Edward Dowden (1843–1913), poet (contributed as: E. D.). Some of his contributions were: fourth issue (1870), a poem, titled "David and Michal"Dowden (1870): "David and Michal", p. 107 fifth issue (1870), a poem, titled "A Farewell"Dowden (1870): "A Farewell," p. 123 sixth issue (1871), a poem, titled "In a June Night"Dowden (1871): "In a June Night," p. 162–164 seventh issue (1871), three poems, titled "Songs"Dowden (1871): "Songs," p. 196–197
Alfred Perceval Graves (1846–1931), poet and songwriter, who contributed to Kottabos as an undergraduate with the initials "A. P. ." Among his contributions were: first issue (1869), a very short textGraves (1869): p. 30 fifth issue (1870), a poem, titled "Song" Graves (1870): "Song", p. 134 sixth issue (1871), a poem, titled "Grace" Graves (1871): "Grace", p. 169 seventh issue (1871), a poem (in Latin), titled "" Graves (1871): "Mors Ultima Linea Rerum", p. 211 14th issue (1873), a poem ""Graves (1873): "Divini Gloria Ruris", p. 43 16th issue (1874), a very small contribution entitled "" Graves (1874): "Versus impariter iuncti" p. 93
Richard Frederick Littledale (1833-1890), clergyman and writer, contributed (as R. F. L.): the essay "Oxford Solar Myth. A Contribution to Comparative Mythology.""Oxford Solar Myth" in Echoes from Kottabos (1906): p. 279–290. Specially mentioned in the introduction to Echoes from Kottabos
Standish James O'Grady (1846–1928), historian (S. O'G.) contributed: the poem "The Old Parson and the New. A Lay Addressed to Divinity Students" in the first issue of Kottabos (1869)O'Grady (1869): "The Old Parson and the New," p. 13-14
John Todhunter (1839–1916), poet (J. T.). He contributed: the poem titled "Louise"John Todhunter – "Louise", again published in Echoes from Kottabos (1906), p. 4-5.
Oscar Wilde (1854–1900), poet and playwright, who contributed as "O. F. O'F. W. W." to the second volume (1877):ΚΟΤΤΑΒΙΣΤΑΙ (2nd volume) "A fragment from the Agamemnon of Aeschylos"Wilde (1877): "A fragment from the Agamemnon of Aeschylos", p. 320–322 the poem "A Night Vision"Wilde (1877): "A Night Vision", p. 331
Echoes In 1906 Robert Tyrrell published Echoes from Kottabos, with the editorial help of Sir Edward Sullivan, 2nd Baronet (1852-1928), as an anthology for the magazine: For see also: this digital copy.
In the "Preface" Tyrrell shortly describes the history of the magazine. He also explains the title. The editors remark that a complete set of Kottabos now (1906) is very rare (they guess that not more than half a dozen are extant).
The book is split into three parts–Verse, Prose and Latin rhymes. Classical exercises were not admitted, because a selection from these had been published in elsewhere.For the translations of many classical (English) verses from Kottabos into Greek and Latin see: Special mention is made of the prose contribution titled "Oxford Solar Myth. A Contribution to Comparative Mythology" by the Rev. R. Littledale.Littledale – "Oxford Solar Myth," again published in Echoes: p. 279–290
Sources For see also: digital copy at Internet Archive
For see also: digital version of 1890 edition and another digital version of 1890 ed.
References
External links Digital edition of the first eight issues of Kottabos in HathiTrust Digital Library New series, volume 1 (1891) in Internet Archive